Marble gun game apparatus



June 14, 1932. ANDERSEN 1,862,877

MARBLE GUN GAME APPARATUS Filed April 1, 1929 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

AUGUST ANDERSEN, OF DES IVIOINES, TOWA; HARRY ANDERSEN, ADMINISCIJIRA'JTOIEKI OF SAID AUGUST ANDERSEN, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR T PEDER ANDERSEN, 0F DES MOINES, IOWA MARBLE GUN GAME APPARATUS Application filed April 1,

The object of this invention is to provide a marble gun game apparatus of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a game apparatus in which a marble or ball is projected through a basket and then falls on a platform from which it rolls through troughs'of various colors and finally comes to rest in depressions of various colors.

More particularly, it is my object to provide a spring-operated gun for projecting the marble or ball through the basket, a score dial actuator in the basket adapted to be actuated by the marble or ball when passing therethrough, and a score dial operatively connected with the score dial actuator.

Still a further object is to provide the troughs of different colors, whereby the players may select different colors so that when the marble or ball rolls through the trough of their color, they score a number of points, as indicated by the score dial and when the marble comes to rest in the depression of their color, they have another chance to project the marble.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my device illustrating it in opened or playing position, the lid being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views on the lines 33 and 44 respectively of Figure 2.

On the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the bottom of a box structure having sides 12 and an end 14. A lid 16 is hinged to the box structure and is provided with sides 18 to overlap the sides 12 when the box is in closed position. The lid 16 has an end 20 adapted to serve as an end for the box when in closed 1929. Serial No. 351,540.

position. A latch 19 may be provided on the end 20.

A brace 21 is provided, pivoted to the side 18 of the lid 16 and removable from a pin 23 on the side 12 of the bottom portion of the box. This brace serves to hold the lid in upright position to serve as a back board and folds into the box when it is closed.

Supporting members 22 and 24 are secured to the bottom 10 of the device. The posts 22 and 24 are preferably of rubber or the like so that they will not scratch a table top and the posts 24 are longer than the posts 22 for giving an inclination to the bottom 10 of the box for a purpose to be hereinafter brought forth.

Pivoted between upstanding ears 26 on the bottom 10 is a marble projecting arm 28. The arm 28 normally has one end against a bumper 30 of rubber or the like and is held in engagement therewith by means of a spring 32. The opposite end of the arm 28 is provided with a depression 34 adapted to receive a marbleor ball 36. V A lip 38 is formed on the arm 28 adjacent the depression 34.

For projecting the marble 36 against the lid 16, the lip 38 may be engaged by a wooden pin 40, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 .and

moved downwardly until it engages a bumper be projected as indicated by the arrow 46 against the lid 16. The marble will then fall downwardly, as indicated by the arrow 48. In its downward course, the marble will pass through a basket 50 and be guided by gulde members 52 therein to pass through the center of the basket. In passing through the basket the marble will engage one of the arms 54 of a score dial actuator member 56, causing it to rotate an undetermined portion of a revolution or possibly more than a revolution. The guides 52 insure that the marble 36 will engage the arm 54 which projects into the basket 50.

The score dial actuator member 56 is mounted on a shaft 58 j ournaled to the outside of the lid 16. A score dial 60 is secured to the shaft 58 and may be seen through an opening or slot 62 formed in the lid 16. A slot 6d is provided for the arms 54k to extend through when the member 56 is rotated. The member 56, the shaft 58 and the score dial 60 are all covered by a cover member 66.

After passing through the basket 50, the marble 36 will drop onto a level platform 68 and then roll down one of a plurality of chutes indicated at 70, 72, 74 and 76. The marble will roll on the platform 68 even though it is level because it is always at least slightly rotating when it strikes the platform. After rolling down one of these chutes, the marble will roll into a compartment 78, which is oppositely inclined relative to the bottom 10 and finally wind its way into one of the depressions 80 or 82. The troughs 70, 72, 7 4 and 76 are parallel with the bottom 10 and therefore of the proper inclination for causing the marble to roll down into the compartment 78.

The troughs 70 and 7st and the depression 82 are colored one color, such as black, as indicated by the line shading on the drawing. The troughs 72 and 76 and the depression 80 are of another color, such as red, as indicated on the drawing by shading. The purpose of this is so that certain rules of the game may be observed.

H 020 my marble gun game is played Two or more players may play on one side, there being two sides to the game.

One side chooses red and the other black. One side starts playing by projecting the marble 36 through the basket 50. In passing through the basket, the marble will cause the score dial 60 to rotate, showing a new number which is to be the score for that side. If the marble rolls through the trough 70, 72, 74 or 76 of the color corresponding to the side that has played, that side scores the number of points indicated on the score dial. If the marble travels through the trough of the opposite color, the said which projected the marble does not score.

The marble then rolls into either of the depressions 80 or 82 and if it rolls into the one having a color corresponding to the playing side, they get to project the ball again. If it finishes in the opposite depression, the other side takes their turn at projecting the marble.

Where more than two players are arranged on one side, they take turns projecting the marble.

The side reaching a predetermined number of points first, is the-winner.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a game apparatus of the class described, a basket having a vertical slot, a marble adapted to be projected through said basket, a score dial actuator adapted to be actuated by said marble when passing through said basket, said score dial actuator comprising a rotor back of said basket having arms adapted to project through said slot, a score dial operatively connected with said score dial actuator, a plurality of troughs, adapted to receive said marble from said basket and a plurality of depressions for finally receiving said marble.

2. In a game apparatus of the class described, a basket, having a vertical slot, a marble adapted to be projected through said basket, a score dial actuator adapted to be actuated by said marble when passing through said basket, said score dial actuator comprising a rotor back of said basket having arms adapted to project through said slot and a score dial operatively connected with said score dial actuator.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 7, 1929.

AUGUST ANDERSEN. 

